In chapter 18 of the book To Kill a Mockingbirdthe author continues the courtroom trial through the eyes of the protagonist scout. The chapter begins with the interview of the supposed witness Mayella as she tells her side of the story. The character Mayella has the mindset of a child and periodically breaks down throughout the trial until Judge Taylor commands her to continue. At the start of the chapter Mayella begins telling the setting of the story. (“Where were you at dusk that evening?” began Mr Glimer patiently. “On the porch.”) When approached with the question of what happened, she chokes up, hesitates, and begins to cry. Her explanation of what happened is the same as her father's. She elaborates about how she was on the porch when she saw Tom Robinson. She asked him to come inside and chop up her old chiffarobe. She offered him a nickel for the job and as she went inside to get the money. Tom follows her in and, according to Mayella, runs up behind her, grabs her around the neck and hits her repeatedly. Her story then jumps as she claims that she might have fainted because the next thing she remembers is her father standing over her yelling, "who did it?" Atticus then begins to question Mayella starting with her life background. One of the facts Atticus establishes is that Mayella's father was a drunk with a lower-class background. Atticus asks Mayella if her father has ever hit her while drunk. She informs Atticus that he has not. Atticus realizes that Mayella will keep denying the questions about her father so Atticus decides to turn his questions towards the defendant, Tom Robinson. He asks Mayella about how she had never asked Tom to do any chores in the past but she claims that she might have. He then asks her if Tom hit her before or as he raped her. She replies with hesitation that he did but she can not remember exactly what had happened. Atticus asks if she could point out the man who raped her. Mayella points at Tom Robinson, the defendant. Atticus asks Tom to stand. As Tom stands up, the courtroom begins to notice Tom's left arm which was twelve inches shorter then his right arm. Atticus questions how Tom, with a shortened arm, could have held her down while raping her if she was fighting as hard as she had informed the courtroom she was or why her siblings did not hear her screaming if she was as loud as she had said. Atticus comes up with the idea that she might not have screamed until she saw the figure of her father in the window. ("What did your father see in the window, the crime of rape or the best defense to it?") The chapter ends with Mayella screaming at the courtroom.
Vocabulary
Perpetual- Continually producing edible parts
(pg. 183) "the younger children had perpetual colds"Mollified- To soften in feeling or temper, as a person; pacify; appease. (pg. 180) "Mollified, Mayella gave Atticus a final terrified glance."
Lavations- The process of washing.
(pg. 179) "it was easy to tell when someone bathed regularly, as opposed to yearly lavations."
Chronic- Constant; habitual; inveterate
(pg. 183) "suffered from chronic ground-itch"Pilgrimage- Journey, especially a long one, made to some sacred placeas an act of religious devotion (pg. 184) "Atticus was making a slow pilgrimage to the windows"
Involuntary- Independent of one's wil
(pg. 184) "He did not see her involuntary jump."
Arid- Being without moisture
(pg. 185) "he was speaking in his arid detached professional voice."
Constructionist- A person who construes or interprets
(pg. 189) "who was a strict constructionist"
Spittoon-A cuspidor
(pg. 189) "He hit a spittoon so squarely"
Exodus- A departure or emigration
(pg. 189) " a recess meant a exodus" Vigorously- Strong; active; robust
Recital- A musical entertainment given usually bya single performerorby a performerandone or more accompanists.
Plot summary
In chapter 18 of the book To Kill a Mockingbird the author continues the courtroom trial through the eyes of the protagonist scout. The chapter begins with the interview of the supposed witness Mayella as she tells her side of the story. The character Mayella has the mindset of a child and periodically breaks down throughout the trial until Judge Taylor commands her to continue. At the start of the chapter Mayella begins telling the setting of the story. (“Where were you at dusk that evening?” began Mr Glimer patiently. “On the porch.”) When approached with the question of what happened, she chokes up, hesitates, and begins to cry. Her explanation of what happened is the same as her father's. She elaborates about how she was on the porch when she saw Tom Robinson. She asked him to come inside and chop up her old chiffarobe. She offered him a nickel for the job and as she went inside to get the money. Tom follows her in and, according to Mayella, runs up behind her, grabs her around the neck and hits her repeatedly. Her story then jumps as she claims that she might have fainted because the next thing she remembers is her father standing over her yelling, "who did it?" Atticus then begins to question Mayella starting with her life background. One of the facts Atticus establishes is that Mayella's father was a drunk with a lower-class background. Atticus asks Mayella if her father has ever hit her while drunk. She informs Atticus that he has not. Atticus realizes that Mayella will keep denying the questions about her father so Atticus decides to turn his questions towards the defendant, Tom Robinson. He asks Mayella about how she had never asked Tom to do any chores in the past but she claims that she might have. He then asks her if Tom hit her before or as he raped her. She replies with hesitation that he did but she can not remember exactly what had happened. Atticus asks if she could point out the man who raped her. Mayella points at Tom Robinson, the defendant. Atticus asks Tom to stand. As Tom stands up, the courtroom begins to notice Tom's left arm which was twelve inches shorter then his right arm. Atticus questions how Tom, with a shortened arm, could have held her down while raping her if she was fighting as hard as she had informed the courtroom she was or why her siblings did not hear her screaming if she was as loud as she had said. Atticus comes up with the idea that she might not have screamed until she saw the figure of her father in the window. ("What did your father see in the window, the crime of rape or the best defense to it?") The chapter ends with Mayella screaming at the courtroom.
Vocabulary
(pg. 183) "the younger children had perpetual colds"Mollified- To soften in feeling or temper, as a person; pacify; appease.Perpetual- Continually producing edible parts
(pg. 180) "Mollified, Mayella gave Atticus a final terrified glance."
Lavations- The process of washing.
(pg. 179) "it was easy to tell when someone bathed regularly, as opposed to yearly lavations."Chronic- Constant; habitual; inveterate
(pg. 183) "suffered from chronic ground-itch"Pilgrimage- Journey, especially a long one, made to some sacred placeas an act of religious devotion(pg. 184) "Atticus was making a slow pilgrimage to the windows"
Involuntary- Independent of one's wil
(pg. 184) "He did not see her involuntary jump."
Arid- Being without moisture
(pg. 185) "he was speaking in his arid detached professional voice."Constructionist- A person who construes or interprets
(pg. 189) "who was a strict constructionist"Spittoon-A cuspidor
(pg. 189) "He hit a spittoon so squarely"Exodus- A departure or emigration
(pg. 189) " a recess meant a exodus"Vigorously- Strong; active; robust
Recital- A musical entertainment given usually by a single performeror by a performer and one or more accompanists.
Brash- hasty; rash; impetuous.
Contorted- twisted in a violent manner
Chiffarobe